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Soil, Compost & Mulch Lawn Care

Question about planting zoysia grass

4 years ago

I have someone who is giving me an estimate on planting zoysia "roots", not traditional plugs just roots. He says he uses his bare hands to break roots from his Meyer zoysia, puts them in a bag and then plants them like plugs one square foot apart. Then puts a layer of topsoil on top. Has anyone heard of doing it this way? Fyi, I have an existing lawn of conventional grass and live in Long Island New York

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Comments (6)

bobstrauss
4 years ago
I’m no expert but this sounds like one of the worst ideas I’ve ever heard. First, I doubt zoysia is what you want in New York. Even where I live in San Antonio, TX, it really only looks good April-October, then goes pretty much dormant. (FWIW, that’s fine for me, as the variety I have is IMO far more attractive than my other options.) Another issue is that zoysia is an extremely slow-growing grass. It doesn’t recover or fill-in quickly at all. This characteristic has both pros and cons, but in your case you’d be looking at bare ground for multiple seasons - not good.

Surely in Long Island you need a cool-season grass, right?
dchall_san_antonio
4 years ago
I agree with bob. Zoysia will be tan most of the year in NY.

But if you want to do that, the technique your friend is suggesting is called sprigging. Sporting fields use that for specialized bermuda varieties.

What problems are you having that prompted you to explore zoysia? Despite the magazine advertising, it is most definitely not the ideal turf for everyone...or anyone in my opinion, but that's just me.
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To put it as simply as possible, zoysia is a warm season grass, suitable to mild winter, hot summer climates. It will be dormant in winter, offering a dead, brown look from October to March. It doesn't grow well this far north - we are far too cool in summer for it to be happy. Yes, it may survive......but only just and you will have the exact same conditions you are encountering now. A sparsely turfed, weed and moss filled yard. Unless you address the conditions that have resulted in that sort of situation now, planting zoysia is not going to magically create a lush full lawn - the weeds and moss will take over. If that is what you want, go for it. But you will have to order the seed - it is not sold here because it doesn't grow here. And it is very difficult to establish from seed - plugging or sodding is far more effective but at 3-4 times the expense of seed (for plugs, which would also have to be mail ordered. Sod is is just not a practical approach in this area). It also requires 6-8 hours of sunlight to grow and will not tolerate heavy or poorly draining soils. And will require watering during our very dry summers. And you cannot compare our climate with anywhere else in the US - it is unique. Zone 8 in Maryland is nothing like a WA state zone 8. All that reflects is how cold it may get in winter. It addresses nothing about summer temperatures, humidity or rainfall amounts and patterns. Most of Washington state is further north than just about anywhere else in the continental US - that makes a huge difference in what can and can't be grown here. Or how it's grown.
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Gary Birke
Original Author
4 years ago
i don't mind the dormant color as long as it's green from may to August. We have a pool and large barbeque and entertain during those months, the rest of the year doesn't matter. Every year my lawn gets way too many weeds, barespots and dries out although I water it regularly. The water in my area is very expensive also. I see the zoysia grass lawns in my neighborhood and I'm alway envious. Thick, no weeds and a lot less watering.
bobstrauss
4 years ago
If that’s really the route you want to take, I would absolutely get sod. Waiting for sprigs to fill in would drive me insane in zone 9... can’t imagine how slow things would spread in zone 7.
dchall_san_antonio
4 years ago
Also be absolutely certain you are getting the same variety of sod that you see in your successful neighbors' lawns. If there is one that works in the area, don't try something else.
Gary Birke
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you

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